Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has given a much-anticipated interview on her contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which is due to be broadcast by NRK TV on Friday. The interview was recorded with Crown Prince Haakon at their residence in Skaugum on Thursday, as her son Marius Borg Høiby's rape trial neared an end at Oslo District Court. His trial began at the start of February, as his mother faced mounting questions over her links to Epstein which came to light in hundreds of emails.
The crown princess has already issued an apology and admitted to showing 'poor judgement', but had said she needed time before explaining herself in greater detail. As the scandals buffeting Mette-Marit's family mounted, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at the time he agreed that she had exercised poor judgement. It was seen as a rare public criticism of a royal figure.
Although the crown princess stayed away from the trial, the timing of her interview indicates she and the crown prince were waiting for proceedings to come to an end before going public. The trial has attracted significant attention, as Høiby faces 40 charges including serious offenses. While he denies the most serious charges, his defense team has argued for a reduced sentence for lesser charges he admitted to.
Mette-Marit is also contending with her own health issues, having contracted pulmonary fibrosis, while dealing with the public fallout of her son’s trial and her associations with Epstein. The Norwegian parliament has called for an independent inquiry into links between the foreign ministry and Epstein, reflecting broader concerns about trust in national institutions.
The crown princess has already issued an apology and admitted to showing 'poor judgement', but had said she needed time before explaining herself in greater detail. As the scandals buffeting Mette-Marit's family mounted, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at the time he agreed that she had exercised poor judgement. It was seen as a rare public criticism of a royal figure.
Although the crown princess stayed away from the trial, the timing of her interview indicates she and the crown prince were waiting for proceedings to come to an end before going public. The trial has attracted significant attention, as Høiby faces 40 charges including serious offenses. While he denies the most serious charges, his defense team has argued for a reduced sentence for lesser charges he admitted to.
Mette-Marit is also contending with her own health issues, having contracted pulmonary fibrosis, while dealing with the public fallout of her son’s trial and her associations with Epstein. The Norwegian parliament has called for an independent inquiry into links between the foreign ministry and Epstein, reflecting broader concerns about trust in national institutions.
